Process of reducing phosphate rock



V Patented July 6; 1926,

UNITED STATES'TPATENT oFF-ICE;

HENRY BL'UMENBERG, JR, or Los ANGELEB, cann'omzm, assrquon 'ro s'rocx- HOLDERS sxnmca'rn, or Los ANGELEB, CALIFORNIA, a coaronn'rrou or CALL FOBNIA.

raocass or :ennucme rnosr'na'rnnoox.

No Drawing.

ing the whole mass as a commercial ferti-' lizer. My invention consists in the steps of the process hreinafterdescribed and claimed.

Ground phosphate rock Ca,,('PO is.

mixed with potassium sulphate K 80 the potassium sulphate being in excess of the molecular equivalents required to produce potassium calcium pyro phosphate in accordance with'the following equation:

The temperature of the mixture is raised to the fusion point, approximately 1000 C. and the mass is kept for several hours in the state of fusion. 'It is then either al lowed to cool or run into water and ground to a mesh not less than 150 and mixed with water. The mixture is then subjected to a treatment of sulphur dioxide until completely decomposed, when calcium and po tassium sulphites and potassium "(iihydrogen phosphate are formed, in accordance with the following equation: A

The mixture may nowbe evaporated to dryness and used as a commercial fertilizer, or the mixture is filter pressed and the solid constituents separated from the insoluble Application filed June as, 1925. Serial in. 39,042.

,same in the presence of water to su phur salts, which latter may be segregated by any suitable or preferred metho In place of the normal potassium sul phate the acid potassium sulphate may be, used, the final product being the same.

In place of potassium sulphates the corresponding sodium sulphates may be used, producing the corresponding sodium phosphates.

i. The terms alkali metal sulphate andpo- Jassium sulphate in the claims are intended to cover both the normal and acid salts.

Various changes may be made in the steps of the process by those skilled in'the art, without departing from the spirit of my invention,'as claim d.

I claim 1'. A process of treating phosphate rock comprising mixing the ground phosphate rock with an alkali metal sulphate, heating the mixture until the mass is fused, cooling and pulverizing the mass, subjectin the same in the presence of water to an phur dioxide, thereby forming alkali metal phospnate' 2. A process of treating phosphate rock' comprising mixing the ground phosphate rock with potassium sulphate, heating the mixture until the mass is fused, cooling and pulverizing the mass, subjecting the'same in the presence of water to sulphur dioxide, thereby forming potassium phosphate.

3. A process of treating phosphate rock -compris mg mixing the ground phosphate rock with potassium sulphate in excess of the molecular equivalents required to form potassium calcium pyro phosphate, heating the mixture until the mam is fused, cooling and pulverizing the mass, subjecti the.

dioxide, phate. In testimony whereof I hav signed my name to'this specification.

HENRY BLUMENBERG, JR.

thereby forming potassium phos- 

